Courses by Credit Type

Preventing disease transmission is a major concern for all members of the perioperative team. This continuing education activity discusses the triangle of concern presented by bacterial penetration of barrier fabrics (ie, surgical gowns, face masks, and sterilization wraps) through forced air currents and its implications for the perioperative nurse.

Learn about updated guidance for the prevention of the transmission of CRE (arbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae) and related superbugs during gastrointestinal endoscopy and new standards of practice regarding infection prevention and control in the GI endoscopic setting.

This continuing education activity will provide a review of the key criteria for evaluating the performance of surgical fabrics. The critical traits of quality surgical fabrics will be outlined, including a discussion of their clinical significance in the perioperative practice setting, with a focus on linting and barrier protection.

Safe patient handling when positioning a patient is not only important for staff safety as it is for patient safety through the appropriate use of equipment and ergonomics. This course will review best practices for safe patient handling, a culture of safety, and proper ergonomics while positioning a patient in the operating room and how to mitigate occupational injury.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC) is the go-to treatment for gallstones and other gallbladder diseases. This learning activity will discuss the incidence and prevalence of symptomatic gallstones, the key surgical techniques established to ensure safe gallbladder removal, and the critical safety aspects and activities for laparoscopic instrument reprocessing and surgical supplies—such as cystic duct clips—that help every LC patient avoid complications and experience an optimal postoperative outcome.

The increased need to navigate to areas impossible to locate through touch, and an increased focus on oncoplastic approaches, have led to the development of several wire-free localization techniques that alleviate some of the evidence-based disadvantages of wire-guided localization. This program aims to educate a broader audience on the latest localization techniques for breast conservation surgery with a specific focus on Radar Localization.

The increased need to navigate to areas impossible to locate through touch, and an increased focus on oncoplastic approaches, have led to the development of several wire-free localization techniques that alleviate some of the evidence-based disadvantages of wire-guided localization. This program aims to educate a broader audience on the latest localization techniques for breast conservation surgery with a specific focus on Radar Localization.

Explore different types of ostomies and the components used for pouching systems. You'll learn about the role of the interprofessional team while emphasizing best practices for ostomy management.

Upon completion of this activity, the learner will gain knowledge regarding the common practices and advantages of surgical stapling along with the potential complications; understand tissue thickness and its relevance to cartridge selection; and learn how surgical staplers are selected and used today.

Gloves are a common medical device used as barrier protection in the medical field. This continuing education discusses how latex surgical gloves are being replaced with synthetic alternatives to create latex-safe environments.

Because there are various types of detergents available today, all personnel involved in the care and cleaning of surgical instruments must be knowledgeable about these agents and the proper instrument cleaning process. This continuing education activity will provide a review of the key considerations related to the selection and use of detergents and disinfectants for instrument cleaning.

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after total joint arthroplasty is a significant complication, and diagnosis and treatment are challenging, which makes prevention the most compelling strategy. This program defines PJI and explains its incidence, pathogenesis, risk factors, clinical consequences, and financial costs. The implications of biofilm formation for the diagnosis and treatment of PJI are discussed. Preoperative, perioperative, intraoperative, and postoperative preventive strategies are described in detail, focusing on the benefits of irrigation with high-osmolarity surfactant solutions.

An overview of the types of chest drains, indications for effective use and key management factors will be described. The safe and effective use of chest drainage systems will be discussed so that nurses can provide high quality care for their patients to achieve optimal care outcomes.

This educational activity provides an overview of gender and racial/ethnic musculoskeletal disparities, the relationship between obesity, osteoarthritis, and other comorbidities, and the potential impact of the AMA recognition of obesity as a disease. Also discussed are cultural and health literacy considerations of the patients most at risk for disability from osteoarthritis – obese African American and Hispanic women.

All patients and members of the perioperative team deserve to be protected from the byproducts of surgical smoke and the potential complications that can follow. The decision about whether to evacuate surgical smoke is often left up to the surgeon’s discretion. But consistently using smoke evacuation equipment in the perioperative environment creates a safer environment for all.

This continuing education activity will address the role of environmental contamination in the transmission of HAIs, describe the latest research on environmental hygiene in the operating room (OR), and list the monitoring methods available to objectively evaluate environmental hygiene. Process improvement methods and new technologies such as self-disinfecting surfaces and “no touch” area cleaners utilizing ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and hydrogen peroxide vapor will be described.

The perioperative nurse is responsible for collaborating with team members to ensure the safety of the patient as well as colleagues during the positioning process. This program focuses on correct patient positioning to avoid patient injury to the respiratory, circulatory, neuromuscular, and integumentary systems.

A collaborative effort and trust between OR and SPD staff is paramount to effective instrument care and infection control. Strategies for effective communication between departments and opportunities for improved relationships between OR and SPD staff will be discussed to help promote safe and efficient patient care.

This educational activity will clarify US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for preoperative skin preparation drug products and discuss recent FDA Safety Communications. The differences between sterile and nonsterile antiseptic solutions will be described as well as issues related to sterilizing antiseptic solutions.

The intraoperative transfusion of blood and blood products is associated with increased healthcare costs and negative patient outcomes. To address these concerns and limit unnecessary transfusions, a variety of patient blood management strategies are available, including the use of topical hemostatic agents.